Japan's hidden island: Temples & festivals in Shikoku

Today you begin your journey by boarding your international outbound flight to Tokyo.

You arrive in Tokyo, and continue on a connecting flight to Osaka airport. Here you will be met by an airport representative whose principal job is to help with a smooth arrival and assist in validating your rail pass. From the airport, you will take a limousine bus to your hotel not too far away.

Travel by bus to Tokushima via Awaji-jima island and across the world's longest suspension bridge that links the main island of Honshu to Shikoku.

Explore Tokushima town. We recommend incorporating a visit to Tokushima's most famous export to the rest of the country, the Bunraku puppet theatre to see a performance.

Take a scenic coastal train ride to Takamatsu, home to one of Japan's most beautiful gardens the Ritsurin-koen and regarded as one of the top three.

Today, take a short ferry ride to visit nearby Naoshima island and its world class art museums. There are other modern art installations of the surrounding smaller islands if time allows.

Pick up your hire car and drive from Takamatsu to the rural and removed Iya Valley. Explore the area by car and on foot in the afternoon helped by the advanced GPS system provided with all rental cars. There is some breath-taking mountainous scenery to enjoy complete with beautiful waterfalls depending on the season.

Start this morning with some light activity; white water rafting in the Oboke Gorge. The course is suitable for beginners and children too.

Drive to the small town of Kannonji and then drop the car off here. Take the train onwards west to Matsuyama, Shikoku's principal city and oldest hot spring resort in Japan. The west has a different feel to the east of Shikoku.

Explore the castle and gardens or just relax and rewind in the hot springs of your hotel.

Travel by train across to Okayama, stopping in to see another top-rated gardens, the Kourakuen Garden before continuing east to Tokyo.The evening is at leisure to catch up on any last-minute sightseeing or simply enjoy your final evening in Japan wining and dining.

Take the limousine bus to the airport for your onward international return flight home. Your return flight will arrive the same day.